- For the Middle-Persian and Parthian inscriptions, titles are provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld's publication, "Paikuli: Monument and Inscription of the Early History of the Sasanian Empire; Berlin: D. Reimer, 1924;" Helmut Humbach and Prods O. Skjærvø's publication, "The Sassanian Inscription of Paikuli; Supplement to Herzfeld's Paikuli. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1980;" and Joseph Upton's Finding Aid.

Series title in Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive reads, "Series VI: Paper Squeezes of Inscriptions."

"Ernst Emil Herzfeld (1879-1948) was an orientalist whose many talents led him to explore all phases of Near Eastern culture, from the prehistoric period to Islamic times and from linguistics and religion to art and architecture." [Margaret Cool Root, 1976: "The Herzfeld Archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 11, pp. 119-124."]

- The Ernst Herzfeld collection description is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld's own publications, on handwritten captions from his original field research material, on FSg Archives accession documents for the Ernst Herzfeld Papers, on Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive, and finally on relevant scholars' publications and articles.

"Ernst Emil Herzfeld (1879-1948) was an orientalist whose many talents led him to explore all phases of Near Eastern culture, from the prehistoric period to Islamic times and from linguistics and religion to art and architecture." [Margaret Cool Root, 1976: "The Herzfeld Archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 11, pp. 119-124."]

Summary:

The Papers primarly relate to Herzfeld's survey of the monuments, artifacts, and inscriptions of Western Asia between 1903 and 1947 and particularly to his excavations at Istakhr (Iran), Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran), Paikuli (Iraq), Pasargadae (Iran), Persepolis (Iran), Samarra (Iraq), and Kuh-e Khwaja (Iran), as well as various archaeological expeditions throughout Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Northern Syria, and Persia. Additional research materials, probably collected by Moritz Sobernheim and Max Freiherr von Oppenheim but preserved by Ernst Herzfeld, were part of a broader project, that of Max van Berchem's "Matériaux pour un Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum." Much of the research material he accumulated during this time was used in preparation for his nearly two hundred books, articles, and lectures.

- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 2: Sketchbooks, 1923-1931" is organized into thirteen subseries: 1) FSA A.6 02.01 covers Herzfeld's travels and surveys of the most major archaeological sites in Persia from 1923 to 1924; 2) FSA A.6 02.02 provides a view of Pasargadae where Herzfeld formal excavations occupied twenty-eight days in April and May 1928; 3) FSA A.6 02.03 in part covers Herzfeld's years of travel and survey of most major archaeological sites in Persia from February 1923 to the end of October 1925; 4) FSA A.6 02.04 in part covers Herzfeld's years of travel and survey of most major archaeological sites in Persia from February 1923 to the end of October 1925; 5) FSA A.6 02.05 provides records of Herzfeld's observations related to Isfahan (Iran), Kerman (Iran), Na'in (Iran), and Saweh (Iran); 6) FSA A.6 02.06 provides records of Herzfeld's observations during a campaign of excavation at Kuh-e Khwaja (Iran) and Sistan (Iran), carried out in February and March 1929; 7) FSA A.6 02.07 covers the field activities of the Persepolis Expedition, including excavations at Istakhr (Iran), Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran), and the terrace complex of Persepolis (Iran); 8) FSA A.6 02.08 records Herzfeld's observations on archaeological remains related to Split (Croatia); 9) FSA A.6 02.09 provides records of measurements for topographical maps related to Firuzabad (Iran), Khurha (Iran), Pasargadae (Iran), Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran), and Persepolis (Iran); 10) FSA A.6 02.10 provides records of Herzfeld's observations on archaeological remains and prehistoric artifacts related to Nineveh (Iraq), Ur (Iraq), Samarra (Iraq), Hamadan (Iran), Harsin (Iran), Kermanshah (Iran), and Shiraz (Iran); 11) FSA A.6 02.11 provides records of Herzfeld's observations on archaeological remains, prehistoric artifacts and decorative motifs, some from the Hahn Collection; 12) FSA A.6 02.12 provides records of Herzfeld's observations on archaeological remains, reliefs and inscriptions, prehistoric artifacts and decorative motifs related to several archaeological sites in Persia and Mesopotamia, as well as to the prehistoric mound of Tepe Giyan (Iran) in particular; 13) FSA A.6 02.13 provides records of Herzfeld's observations on inscriptions, archaeological remains, architecture, and decorative motifs related to Aleppo (Syria), Damascus (Syria), Hama (Syria), Hims (Syria), and Ma'arat al-Nu'man (Syria).

- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 3: Notebooks" is composed of 131 folders including a large variety of locations, names, topics, genres, and languages. As of today, only four inventories of objects (ledgers) have been digitized and are available online: 1) FSA A.6 03.089 provides an inventory of objects collected or acquired in several cities throughout Mesopotamia and Persia in 1923 and 1924; 2) FSA A.6 03.090 provides an abbreviated and corrected version of FSA A.6 03.089 as well as a continuation of FSA A.6 03.091; 3) FSA A.6 03.091 provides a continuation of FSA A.6 03.089, to which Herzfeld added an inventory of objects collected or acquired in several cities throughout Persia in 1926 and 1927, 1929, and finally 1932 and 1933; 4) FSA A.6 03.092 comprises a finds journal from the excavation of Pasargadae in 1928 as well as a random inventory of Near Eastern prehistoric objects.

- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 4: Photographic Files" contains 3,890 glass negatives, chronogically numbered from 1 to 5,066, which were originally stored in wooden boxes of 50 photographs each. Of most of these, Herzfeld had blueprints made which he arranged in 16 binders irrespective of the number on the negative. In addition to the 16 blueprint binders, Herzfeld assembled 5 albums including two from the Samarra series labelled "Paläste und Moscheen-I and -II." The remainder of the photographs, many given by Herzfeld's sister to George Miles and later donated to the Freer Gallery of Art, from glass negatives and from cut films, sometimes identified by Herzfeld, were printed en masse for study purpose (labelled by Upton as duplicate prints) and which are, for the most part, unpublished. For his own research, Herzfeld also collected prints from many sources. Of those there are no negatives. Finally, in early 1970s, Joseph Upton reorganized the whole Herzfeld collection of photographic prints into 42 photographic files, assembling 10 additional files in excess of the 24 existing files arranged by Herzfeld himself. The eight remaining files, File 35 to File 42, are made of duplicate prints provided by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 6: Paper Squeezes of Inscriptions" is organized into three subdivisions: FSA A.6 06.A, 100 items, inscriptions in Arabic language; FSA A.6 06.C, 129 items, inscriptions in Cuneiform writing; FSA A.6 06.M, 164 items, Middle-Persian and Parthian inscriptions. The paper squeezes relate primarly to several archaeological expeditions carried out by Ernst Herzfeld in the Middle East, from 1908 to 1934; to a trial excavation and an excavation campaign carried out by Ernst Herzfeld in Persepolis and several nearby sites, from 1923 to 1934; and to three expeditions to Paikuli (Iraq), in 1911, 1913, and 1923.

- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 7: Records of Samarra Expeditions" is organized into 15 units of original materials (drawings, sketches, sketchbooks, correspondence, notebooks, photographs, blueprints, notes, diaries, prints, journals, publications, articles, clippings, rubbings) from two campaigns of excavation at Samarra in Iraq, carried out by Ernst Herzfeld on behalf of the Kaiser Friedrich Museum in Berlin between the years 1911 and 1913.

- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 8: Archaeological Artifacts" contains 101 numbered objects, ranging from H1 to H101, and 3 unnumbered artifacts. The numbers are those painted in red on the objects when they were listed by Dr. Richard Ettinghausen. The medium of these artifacts comprises metal (8), wood (10), stone (4), pottery (60), glass (6), stucco (4), bone or ivory (8), painted plaster (1). As stated in Herzfeld's Statement of Gift to Dr. Wetmore, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the artifacts were considered as library and study material only. They were finally transferred to the Freer Study Collection in February, 14, 1984."

Herzfeld, Ernst. "Ars Islamica, IX, 'Damascus:Studies in Architecture, I. The Mukarnas Dome. The Madrasa'. Published by Freer Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian Institution and Department of the History of Art, University of Michigan."

Herzfeld, Ernst. "Ars Islamica, X (1943). Damascus: Studies in Architecture, II. 'The Cruciform Plan. Syrian Architecture, Period of Nūr ad-Dīn'. Published by Freer Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian Institution and Department of the History of Art, University of Michigan."

Herzfeld, Ernst: "Ars Islamica, XI-XII (1946). Damascus: Studies in Architecture, III. 'The Ayyubid Madrasa. The Turba'. Published by Freer Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian Institution and Department of the History of Art, University of Michigan."

Herzfeld, Ernst. "Ars Islamica, XIII-XIV. Damascus: Studies in Architecture, IV. 'The Mosque'. Published by Freer Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian Institution and Department of the History of Art, University of Michigan."

- Additional information from staff reads, "The handwritten text of the Journal in German was transliterated and reviewed by Ernst Herzfeld's former collaborator, Friedrich Krefter, with the assistance of his wife, Maria Krefter. Please contact the Archives for digital access to the transliterated copy."

- Baghdad (Iraq) and Ctesiphon (Iraq): Notes on Talisman Tor, Mustansiriyya Madrasa, Sultanatspaläste, in der Zitadelle, Mirjāniyya Madrasa, Khan Ortma. Side trips to Ctesiphon. Comments on British and Arab personalities and on political views of Egyptians, March 25 to May 24, 1923, (pp. 10-36).

- Samarra (Iraq): Visit with comments of personalities, state of ruins and Caliph's palace. Comparison of ruins with Kufa (p.21); of mosques with those at Nejef and Qazwin (p.22); and fate of the lost finds from Samarra during World War I., April 9-16, 1923, (pp. 15-16).

- Dilijan (Iran): From Khurha to Dilijān via Nāin and Āb-i Garm. Popular conception of "antiques" of peasants of Dilijan. Sketch: plan of old bath (inside covers of N-83), October 13, 1923, (pp. 101-102).

- Personal comments on Misc. topics, 1923 Oct. 13. Comments on possible results of current political attitudes in Germany under Streseman, October 13, 1923, (pp. 102-104).

- Dilijan-Isfahan (Iran): Itineraries, October 14, 1923, (p. 104).

- Reflections on what caused the ruin of the Orient, October 14, 1923, (pp. 104-106).

- Additional information from staff reads, "The handwritten text of the Journal in German was transliterated and reviewed by Ernst Herzfeld's former collaborator, Friedrich Krefter, with the assistance of his wife, Maria Krefter. Please contact the Archives for digital access to the transliterated copy."

Summary:

- FSA A.6 01.05, on which Joseph Upton's classification mentions "N-84", provides an account of Herzfeld's field work (November 13, 1923 to January 5, 1924) to Shiraz (Iran) and the archaeological sites in its vicinity such as Pasargadae (Iran), Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran), Persepolis (Iran), and Istakhr (Iran), as well as an account of an expedition (March 3, 1924 to April 30, 1924) following the Firuzabad road from Shiraz (Iran) to Fīruzabad (Iran) and Farrashband (Iran), then moving north via Sar Mashhad (Iran), the ancient city of Bishapur (Iran), Nurabad (Iran), and Jinjan (Iran) (also called Jinjun). Finally, departing from Bushihr (Iran) (also called Bushire), Herzfeld visited the Island of Kharg (Iran).

- Notes on rock tombs (reminiscent of Palmyra) and Imamzadeh Mir Muhammad (date of Ja'fariyyah in Isfahan and Waramin, etc. Sketch of crosses and other symbols on tombs, April 18-22, 1923, (pp. 175-177).